Oh no, I'm so not done yet - there is always yet another list to be made at the end of the year. We've done the easy readable recap of 2005 with The Newsy Stuff, and our own lists of bestest and mostest here at Adland, and then we listed the choice best ads and campaigns of 2005 before showing the adgrunts own ratings; best, worst.
Now for what the Adland crew here considers to be the worst ads of the year - read on if you dare.
Overall Worst Commercials
Trite. Overdone. Obnoxious. And just plain awful. These are the ads that make our industry look bad and even get adgrunts to change the channel.
Worst ad of 2005
the perennial gawdawful... Ovaltine!
Ovaltine - Joggers (2005) 0:30 (USA)
This one put Claymore the admaven in the fetal position for a few hours. Only heavy doses of D&AD classics and spraymount fuming beer poured over his head could snap him out of it.
Most Obnoxious:
* Orbitz - Don't Think Twice (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* NetZero - Dennis Miller - 2 (2005) 0:30 (USA), NetZero - Dennis Miller - 3 (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst acting, scripting, and direction. The dubios honor goes to all of those Acuvue Advance "testimonials." Woof.
Acuvue Advance - Danny
Worst acting gig - ever?
Preparation H - Author
Everyone feels more pity for the actor than the character the actor is portraying.
Worst Smell:
* McDonald's - Chicken Selects - Smell (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst Disgusting:
* Futureshop - Sneeze - (2005) - 0:30 (Canada)- oh duuude thats gross.
Worst Spokesperson:
* Quiznos - Baby Bob at Quiznos (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Quiznos - Baby Bob with Ty Murray (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Quiznos - Baby Bob At Quiznos (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Quiznos - Baby Bob At The Pool (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Sears - Ty Pennington Style (2005) 0:30 (USA), commercials: Sears - What Would Ty Do? - 2 (2005) 0:30 (USA)
commercials: Sears - What Would Ty Do? - 1 (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Most Disgusting Spokesperson:
* Mucinex - Mr. Mucus - short (2005) 0:15 (USA)
Worst Concept:
* 
Troegs – Burp Gal - (2005) :30 (USA)
* M&Ms M-Azing - Magic Chef (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst Soda:
* Diet Coke - Sparkle (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst Use of Comedians:
* Sierra Mist - Rock Paper Scissors (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Sierra Mist - Germs (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Sierra Mist - Close Talker (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst Tire:
* Bridgestone - Rain Dancer / Ice Breaker / Style Setter / Performance Maker (2005
* Bridgestone Potenza - Performance Maker (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Bridgestone Dueler - Style Setter - short (2005) 0:15 (USA)
* Bridgestone Turanza - Rain Dancer (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst Attempt at Appearing All-Sexy-Like:
* Bluefly - Dinner Party
* Brawny - Birthday Cake (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst ruining of Shakespeare:
* Levis - A Midsummer Nights Dream - (2005) 0:60 (UK) - adgrunts hated this and voted it down. darn.
Worst :
* Adidas - Hello Tomorrow - (2005) 0:90 (USA)
Worst Talking to Selves (client):
* Chrysler / Jeep / Dodge - Lee Iacocca - Golf Buddies (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Chrysler / Jeep / Dodge - Lee Iacocca - Seinfeldesque (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Chrysler / Jeep / Dodge - Lee Iacocca - Channel Surfing (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Chrysler / Jeep / Dodge - Lee Iacocca - Granddaughter (2005) 0:30 (USA)
Worst Epic:
* Pepsi – Spartacus (US) I am Spartacus - No Pepsi is! Double-U-tee-Eff?
Worst Self-Promo:
* Sci Fi Channel - Balloon Dog (2005) 0:10 (USA)- weird.
Most Bizarre TV Ads
General weirdness running amok in adland.
Strangest overall/fast food:
* Burger King - Ranch Song (2005) 0:60 (USA) -Burger King - Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch (US) - So Surreal! ;)
Stella Artois - Surreal Bench (2005) 0:90 (UK) even more so!
Strangest Fast Food:
* Wendy's - Ranch Tooth (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Ring Tones (2005) 0:30 (USA)
* Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Idle Hands (2005) 0:15 (USA)
* Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Amplifried (2005) 0:15 (USA)
* Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Bob Your Head - short version (2005) 0:3 Burger King - Coq Roq - Chicken Fries - Cross The Road (2005) 0:60 (USA)
Weirdest Japanese Commercials:
Third runner up: *
Detergent - Family Clean - (2005) 0:30(Japan)
What is the deal with sniffing other family members like that?
In second place: *
Nissin - Noodle and Beef - (2005) 0:30 (Japan)
Beefy man and his noodle paste - I'm stunned. Is it sexy? Was it meant to be? Is it just weird?
And the number one strangest Japanese advert of 2005 is:
* 
Pizza Pretz - Hepp! - (2004) 0:30 (Japan)
It really does sound like he says "vagina". Quelle weird!
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Creepy Overstock.com kraut-lady didn't make worst spokesperson?
For shame.
At least she has zero lines in her recent Lexus ad appearance.
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PermalinkI find most all of the choices here very much on target, however I have to vehemently disagree with the choice of Diet Coke Sparkle for your "Worst Soda" ad. Having grown up a skater in the Central Park Circle and having skated in various cities in several countries, I feel like they captured a real sense of what a day of roller skate dancing is all about! Maybe they could have chosen a different music bed (personally I even thought that choice worked!) but this was good!
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PermalinkShe got it last year though.
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PermalinkAh-ha.
But ever heard of a dynasty? I think she had potential.
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PermalinkTrue true. maybe for 2006 she'll get Lexus' worst if they continue using her. ;)
Plus that baby bob and Ty were pretty annoying. Let them get their moment in the sun. ;)
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